Types of Industrial Robots, 6 Popular Industrial Robots Today

In the era of Industry 4.0, industrial robots play an indispensable role in automating production, improving efficiency and minimizing labor costs. Today’s industrial robots are not only diverse in structure and design, but also flexible in application, meeting the needs of different industries. In the article below, join RX Tradex to explore types of industrial robots today, helping businesses choose the right solution, optimize production processes and increase competitiveness in the global market.

Popular types of industrial robots today

1. Cartesian Coordinate Robot (Linear Robot)

The Cartesian coordinate robot, or linear robot, is structured like a crane system with three axes moving perpendicularly. These axes help robots move in straight lines, which is why they are also known as linear robots. This type of robot is commonly used in applications such as moving materials, loading and unloading machinery, palletizing, welding, and assembly.

Advantage:

• Easy to program and control thanks to three-spindle operation.
• High accuracy, with an error of only about 0.1 mm.
• The ability to move heavy objects over long distances, which can be up to 4 meters or more.

Shortcoming:

• The size is bulky, requiring a lot of installation space.
• Mechanical parts are susceptible to contamination, resulting in damage or wear.

2. Cylindrical robots

The cylindrical robot has a design with a cylindrical working area, consisting of two linear axes and a rotary axis. They are commonly used in tasks such as pipe welding, machining, machine maintenance, and material handling.

Advantage:

• Save installation space.
• Ability to work in hard-to-reach areas such as narrow trenches or deep holes.

Shortcoming:

• The accuracy and repeatability are not high.
• The work area is limited.
• Limited in moving and rotating objects.

3. Spherical robot

Spherical robots, or polar coordinate robots, are the first industrial robots with spherical active zones. They have two axes of rotation and one translational axis, allowing for flexible movement to any position in this spherical space. Spherical robots are commonly used in welding, surface treatment, and machine loading.

Advantage:

• Wide range and flexibility.

Shortcoming:

• Accuracy and repeatability are inferior to other types of robots.

4. Robot SCARA

SCARA (Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm) is a high-speed and precision robot with four axes of motion. These axes allow the robot to move flexibly in a horizontal plane and perform linear operations along the vertical axis. SCARA robots are commonly used in high-speed production lines for assembly, material handling, and packaging.

Advantage:

• Outstanding speed and accuracy.
• Compact design, suitable for limited space.

Shortcoming:

• The work area is restricted.
• The load capacity is not high.
• Complex object rotation and flipping operations cannot be performed.

5. Articulated Robot

Articulated robots are robots that have a human-arm-like design, with six flexible axes of motion. Thanks to this design, the robot can reach difficult locations that other types of robots can’t. It is the most common type of robot and is widely used in applications from welding, painting to assembly.

Advantage:

• Flexible and versatile, can perform a variety of tasks.
• Wide range of sizes and customizability for specific applications.
• Easy to install in tight spaces with a variety of placement options such as floor, wall or ceiling.

Shortcoming:

• Complex programming and controls.

6. Robot delta

The delta robot, also known as a parallel robot or spider robot, has a design of three arms that attach to the base and work in parallel. With 3 to 6 axes, delta robots can move and manipulate objects at high speeds, often used in fast-speed production lines for assembly, sorting, and packaging.

Advantage:

• The speed and accuracy are very high.
• The design takes up little space.

Shortcoming:

• Limited work area.
• Low load capacity.

Each type of industrial robot has its own advantages and disadvantages, which are tailored to the specific applications and needs of the business. Choosing the right robot will help optimize the production process and improve operational efficiency.

Conclusion

The application of industrial robots is not only a trend but also a key factor to help businesses improve production capacity and keep up with market changes. Depending on the specific purpose and requirements, businesses can choose the right industrial robots to serve their production activities. To learn more about the latest technologies in automation and smart manufacturing, and connect with potential partners, businesses can participate in NEPCON Vietnam 2024 – the largest and only electronics exhibition event on SMT, Inspection Technology, Equipment and Supporting Industries for Electronics Manufacturing in Vietnam RX Tradex Vietnam will take place from September 11-13 at the I.C.E, Hanoi. Register now for exhibitors or visitors.